Hey everyone! Get pumped because it's the final chapter! It's long enough that I could divide it up but I was just too excited to post it, please enjoy!

As Mandie and Joe waltzed around the dance floor they talked about school, their family, and old times together.

"I don't suppose you've been up to the Charley Gap lately?" Joe asked.

"No but I really miss my father's house and visiting his grave. I'd love to go soon. It always a good time especially whenever I can visit you and your family."

"Have you been to Long Creek or to visit anyone?"

"No, I'm so caught up with college and I haven't been home in ages."

"Next time we have a school break we should go to the Charley Gap and Long Creek together."

"That would be so wonderful. For all I know my Grandmother already has plans for my next break. But I wonder if everyone else could go with us. Then again it might be nice for just the two of us to go."

"I'd really like that Mandie." Mandie decided to change the subject.

"So, do you have many friends at college? I never did get to visit you like we planned."

"Not many, I spend most of my free time with Jonathan and I thought you weren't interested in coming to visit me anymore."

"I never came to visit you because you never invited me to go."

"Well then if it's not too late Mandie would you like to come visit me at college sometime?"

Mandie smiled. "I'd love to Joe."

"Well then we'll just have to make the plans for you to come to my college and then we both go to Charley Gap and Long Creek together."

The two continued to to talk until the dance was over. Shortly after Tommy asked Mandie to dance.

After a moment on the dance floor Mandie broke to silence.

"I'm so happy for you and Polly, Tommy."

"Thanks Mandie, I'm really happy she said yes."

"There are going to be so many weddings in the next year in our group of friends."

"Yes, I think everyone is engaged except for you and Joe." Tommy smiled teasingly. "And everyone is counting down the moments until the two of you decide to get hitched." Mandie blushed.

"They are? I thought it was just Celia and Jonathan that were just saying that to tease me."

"Nope." Tommy laughed. "Everyone talks about you two."

"Really?"

"Do you honestly think I'm lying? Everyone always thought you two would end up together."

At that moment the dance ended and the two joined everyone else. Joe began to ask Mandie to dance but Mandie had spotted Uncle Ned and decided that she wanted to talk to him. Mandie interrupted Joe and ask if it would be ok if she could sit this dance out. Joe nodded, a little bit of disappointment showed on his face.

Mandie walked over to Uncle Ned.

"Uncle Ned can I talk to you for a moment?" Uncle Ned stood up and smiled.

"Papoose want to talk in hall?" Mandie nodded and they both walked out of the parlour and took a seat on a pair of chairs in the hallway.

"What troubles papoose?" Uncle Ned asked.

"It's just Joe…"

"What about Joe-boy?"

"It's just I was talking to him for a while while we were dancing and I realized just how much I've missed having him as my best friend and seeing him all the time. Do you remember when we used to be that close Uncle Ned." Uncle Ned nodded. "I can't believe how long it's been since the two of us had time to catch up with each other."

"Did papoose tell Joe love yet?"

"No not yet."

"Why waiting?"

"I'm not sure, Uncle Ned."

"Then tell Joe love."

Uncle Ned made it sound so straightforward and easy to tell someone you love them, Mandie thought.

"Joe-boy has surprise for papoose."

"Joe has a surprise for me?" Mandie tried to question Uncle Ned further but he just smiled mysteriously.

"Anything else papoose want to talk about?" Uncle Ned questioned.

"No, but thank you for always watching out for me."

"Ned promise John Shaw to watch over papoose after he go to happy hunting ground."

"I miss him so much." Mandie said, saddening.

"Papoose go visit John Shaw at school break."

"Me and Joe were just making plans to go to the Charley Gap and Long Creek whenever we have a break from school." Uncle Ned didn't say anything but just smiled down at her. Mandie aimlessly stuck her hand in the pockets of her dress, she realized that she'd forgotten to give Joe the handkerchief she'd made him.

"Oh, I almost forgot I had a gift for Joe."

"Go give Joe gift and dance."

"Oh I will Uncle Ned." The two stood and Mandie hugged Uncle Ned. "I love you so much." she told him.

Uncle Ned began to shoo her into the parlour. Then he called out. "Papoose don't forget, tell Joe love."

Mandie turned to him and nodded. She blushed and hoped that no one had heard Uncle Ned. Mandie walked over to get a glass of water. In a minute a song had ended and the young people joined Mandie once again. Mandie walked over to Celia and whispered. "The gifts."

Celia looked at her and said. "Oh, I almost forgot, thanks for reminding me."

Mandie walked up to Joe who was talking to George. She tapped him on the arm and he turned to her.

"Joe." she said, handing him the small package. "I made you a small Christmas gift, it's not very much but I hope you like it."

Joe smiled down at Mandie and said. "Awe shucks Mandie, you didn't have to make me anything."

"Open it." Mandie said, beaming.

Joe opened up the small package and ran his hands over the handkerchief and examined the embroidery. "I believe this is the nicest handkerchief I've ever owned." He said.

Mandie simply stood in front of him, examining his dark brown eyes and smiling. His eyes smiled into hers as he stuck the handkerchief in his pocket. After a moment Mandie looked away and music began to play.

Joe took Mandie's hands in his and she looked into his eyes again. "Thank you Mandie." He said. "I'm sorry I don't have something for you at the moment, but I'll make it up to you later." His eyes were shining into hers. Mandie smiled at him.

"I think everyone else is dancing so how would you like to?"

"Joe Woodard asking me to dance three times in one night?" She laughed, Joe simply smiled.

The pair took to the dance floor and began to waltz once again. Joe looked into Mandie's eyes and was about to say something when Uncle John walked right up to them.

"Do you mind if I steal her from you?" Uncle John asked nodding to Mandie, smiling.

"Oh, of course Sir." Joe said, his face didn't conceal his disappointment though.

Uncle John led Mandie out onto the dance floor.

"Sorry I took you away from a certain someone." He said winking at Mandie.

Mandie blushed and said. "I see that you've been dancing with all the ladies this evening."

"Only with your mother, grandmother, and Mrs. Woodard." He said grinning. "Looks like you've danced with all the young men but I think you always go back to the same one." He said, referring to Joe. Mandie blushed bright pink.

The dance ended and Mandie decided she was tired of dancing but she really wanted another chance to talk with Joe. Clearly he was thinking the exact same thing.

"Mandie since we haven't had that much time to spend together what do you say to a walk in the yard?" Joe asked her. He almost seemed nervous about something.

"I was just thinking of that Joe." She told him. The two walked out to the entry and took their coats off the hall tree. They went out the door and walked for a moment in silence.

"It's so beautiful out here." Mandie said looking around. Snow was slowly falling in the moonlit yard. There were lanterns lining the walk of the garden where they were walking.

"Not as beautiful as the person I'm walking with." Joe said grinning down at Mandie. Mandie blushed and looked into his dark brown eyes that looked into her blue ones. They continued to stroll through the garden. "I suppose you've grown out of mysteries." Joe commented.

"Actually I haven't." Mandie told him. She hesitated whether to tell him about her latest mystery. "I found a note in the secret tunnel after we got lost, it was a love note addressed to Polly and I thought it had come from you and I heard Polly and a man in the hall the other day and I thought it was you."

"You thought me and Polly were secretly in love?" He laughed. "That will never happen. I suppose it was quite the surprise when Polly and Tommy announced their engagement."

"I was pretty shocked but Polly told me before the ball. Thinking about this mystery makes me miss being young and solving mysteries with you. I wish we didn't have to grow up" Mandie sighed. "I really missed you this year Joe. I thought you had changed but I was just too stubborn to realize I hadn't spent enough time with you."

"I've missed you too Mandie. Jonathan told me that you thought I'd changed."

"Funny Jonathan was talking to me about you while I danced with him."

"Oh well you know Jonathan. I don't know how me and him stayed in the same dorm for the past two years."

"Me and Jonathan were talking about how we think of each other as brother and sister."

"Yes you two have always been like that, I admit I got jealous of you two a couple of times when we were younger."

"Joe Woodard jealous? Funny, Jonathan told me he was jealous of our friendship with each other."

Mandie and Joe continued to walk.

"I can't believe you thought me and Polly were secretly in love." Joe laughed then he said. "I thought you knew me better than that." as he looked into Mandie's eyes.

"I obviously needed to spend more time with you."

"Well now you have that mystery solved."

"Well I still have another small mystery." Mandie said remembering the note she had found in the bureau that was for Celia from Joe.

"What kind of a mystery?" Joe asked her.

"I found a note in the bureau to Celia and it was from you and it said something like 'Gold and ruby, size 6.' Celia wouldn't look me straight in the eye when I asked her what it meant. She told me you were going to get her a brooch, but I don't think I believe her."

Joe ran his long fingers through his unruly brown hair and grinned. "I can show you what that note meant." Joe then gently grabbed Mandie's hands to stop her from walking on, his hands were slightly shaking; not just from the cold. He knelt down in front of her and reached into his jacket pocket. Mandie gasped and her eyes filled with tears of joy as she realized what Joe was doing. Joe pulled out a ruby and gold ring.

"Amanda Elizabeth Shaw, would you make me the happiest man alive by becoming my wife?" Joe said, beaming.

"Joe!"

"I don't have much to offer except my heart if you accept it- I love you Mandie."

"Yes! I love you too Joe!" Joe slid the ring onto Mandie's finger. Mandie flew into his arms and embraced him, they slowly began to kiss. After a couple moments they broke apart, Joe was beaming.

"I've waited since the moment I met you, small, and scared as you walked into Mr. Tallant's schoolhouse to marry you Mandie Shaw."

"I've loved you ever since I met you too Joe, I was always just too stubborn and scared to admit it." Mandie said as he held her close.

Joe laughed. "That is true but I loved you all through your stubbornness, doubts, and fears."

Mandie looked down at the ring on her finger. "Joe this is beautiful.

"I've been saving that ruby from your uncle's mine for seven years now, just waiting for the right time."

"Oh Joe is this really the ruby from Aunt Ruby's mine?" Joe nodded. "I love you so much Mandie, but when I first arrived I was worried you didn't love me anymore."

"Well you know how I never do want to admit my feelings? Also I was so confused with everything happening with Polly."

"You should've just talked to me about it all." Joe said, looking down at her.

"I'm sorry Joe for not turning to you and I'm also sorry for being so stubborn and not trying to keep in touch."

"Mandie, I love every stubborn bit of you, I always have and always will."

Their eyes met, Mandie's were wet from tears of joy. "I love you Joe Woodard." Joe leaned in, kissed her, picked her up in his arms, and spun her around. Mandie did not know when or where they would be married but all that mattered in that moment was that she loved Joe and he loved her in return.

The End

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's taken over two years to finish this story; I thought writing a fanfic would be the easiest thing in the world but it ended up taking so much time and patience. Even though it took this long I enjoyed every second of writing it and I hope you enjoyed reading it. If I were to write another Mandie Series fanfic what would you guys be interested in seeing? A sequel to this? A prequel? A story where Mandie ends up with someone else (idk if I could handle that though XD)? I'm up to writing anything tbh. I've also thought about rewriting the college series since I didn't enjoy New Horizons. I also have a story in the works about Mandie and Joe from before the Mandie series, let me know if you'd be interested in me posting it. Finally I'd like to end with a huge thank you to all my readers and reviewers, thank you for your patience in my lack of posting and all your suggestions and motivation to help me continue posting, you all mean the world to me. Let me know what you thought about this story and anything you'd like to see in the future.

~MandieFan